This Rec League request was spawned by a comment from Dread Pirate Rachel. Here’s the request:
Is there a Rec League for romances with neurodivergent heroines? There aren’t many that I can think of. A Desperate Fortune, by Susanna Kearsley, comes to mind, as the contemporary storyline features a heroine with Asperger’s. It was nice to see the representation, but unfortunately I felt like all the conflict and tension of her plot was due to that, which wasn’t great. The historical plot was so awesome that I still rated the book at 5 stars, but I found myself skipping through the contemporary parts as they seemed heavy-handed to me.
For this post, we’re using the definition of “neurodiversity” from the National Symposium of Neurodiversity found on the neurodiversity Wikipedia page:
…a concept where neurological differences are to be recognized and respected as any other human variation. These differences can include those labeled with Dyspraxia, Dyslexia, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Dyscalculia, Autistic Spectrum, Tourette Syndrome, and others.
Amanda: One of the books featured in the sale post mentioned above was Water Bound by Christina Feehan ( A | BN | K | AB ). The heroine has autism and has a magical connection with the ocean, and I’d definitely classify it as a paranormal romance.
Sarah: The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie, I think.
Redheadedgirl: The Lady Hellion, maybe? ( A | BN | K | G | AB | Au )
Sarah: The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion . There’s a scene in that book where the hero is venting about something that happened (he’s the narrator) and he says, “And THIS is the world I have to live in!”
Oh – The Witness, Nora Roberts. The heroine is neurodivergent, I believe, in a way that isn’t clearly explained if I recall, but fits a number of patterns.
Redheadedgirl: Unveiled by Courtney Milan, the hero has dyslexia. ( A | BN | K | G | AB )
The Duke’s Holiday ( A ) has a duke with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, and I know I read the book, but I can’t tell you how well it’s handled.
Sarah: When Beauty Tamed the Beast by Eloisa James! ( A | BN | K | AB )
Amanda: Seconding The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie. It’s one of my favorite historical romances.
Know any romances with neurodivergent heroes and heroines? Give us your recommendation in the comments!
@Trix: Feel free to email Sarah!
Raeanne Thayne’s The Quiet Storm features a heroine who has trouble with communication. I don’t think it is defined as aphasia but it seems similar to that.
Great post! I love the Rec League!!
Great read! Looking forward to more recommendations
A recently-released book to add to the list: The Secret Science of Magic by Melissa Keil, a YA romance by an Aussie author. While it’s never given a label (or formal diagnosis), the heroine is definitely neurodivergent – she finds it hard to understand people and their emotions, can get anxious around crowds and loud noises. And the hero understands this and helps her (e.g. they’re at a party, and she’s struggling to cope with the noise, so he takes her to where it’s quieter).
And for those who love nerdy/mathematically minded heroines – she’s also very smart, majorly into maths and loves Dr Who.
I’d highly recommend this – it’s funny and sweet.
Am I the only one who HATED The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie?